The Associated Press printed an article this past week regarding the treatment of gambling addicts in the state of Indiana. According to the article Indiana's state funded gambling treatment is helping more gamblers than ever before. Indiana has the Hoosier Assurance Plan, a mental health program which is their social services addiction unit.
 
According to the article the Hoosier Assurance Plan has helped 414 people to date this year. Last year at this time 376 people had been helped. That's an increase of ten percent. This could be explained in several different ways. The people of Indiana could be made more aware of what a gambling addiction is. Perhaps the Hoosier Assurance Plan is advertising its ability to help gambling addicts in better ways so that more addicts are aware of it. There could simply be more addicts this year than last.

According to http://www.npg.org/states/in.htm Indiana has a total population of 6,080,485 from the last census year (2000). That means the HAP helped a total of .00001% of their total population.

Is it enough? According to the article, "… gambling opponents say the state needs to do more." Perhaps doing more isn't really in the states best interest. Before you drown me in insults and accuse me of heartlessness lets look at the numbers.

The article states that the money for the Hoosier Assurance Plan comes from admission taxes on casinos. Indiana spends $4.25 million a year to help people with various sorts of addictions. I can guarantee you the entire $4.25 million wasn't focused on the 414 people that have been helped with their gambling problem this year. Next year the state is planning on being able to help more people. "John Viernes, deputy director of the Office of Addictions in the Family and Social Services Administration, said the state is budgeting enough money to serve 560 problem gamblers next year. "There's been an increase in the availability of gaming venues - both the riverboats and on the Internet," he said."

The article states, "The Division of Mental Health spends about one-quarter of that on gambling treatment, with $2.6 million more going for treatment for other addictions. Next year, the state expects to spend $350,000 more on gambling." This means that $1.0625 million dollars is going to helping 414 people. In other words, Indiana is spending $2566 per person per year on helping them on their addiction. Looking at it from this point of view it sounds almost reasonable. Even still, I can't help but wonder how they are allocating their resources.

It appears that the AP wonders with me. "At the same time, less money is going to publicize the hot line that helps direct problem gamblers to local service providers." Once upon a time the state spent $1 million just on advertising outreach for problem gamblers. Yet the number of gamblers getting help has gone up, inferring that the target market for the advertisements was not being reached. "The state currently does not fund radio and television ads to promote problem-gambling services or the hot line, which this fiscal year has received 1,588 calls - an increase of more than 20 percent over the same period last year." It looks like they are at least using the money where it's needed, or not using it where it isn't. Instead they made the source advertise the help. "The state does require casinos to put up signs and provide other information to advertise the hot line number, which is also printed on the back of casino and horse racing tickets, as well as lottery tickets."

The money for the Hoosiers Assurance Plan is gotten from the casinos. The money is allocated to help so much more than just gambling addicts. Hence the more people who are gambling may mean the more people who will have a problem (as the percentage of people who are likely to get addicted stays the same) however it will also mean the more people who will get help across with their addiction the board.

The people in the HAP are the people most in need of help. "Only people at 200 percent of the federal poverty level and below qualify for gambling addiction assistance - the same income guidelines used for other mental-health and addiction services." Most likely they are homeless and living in shelters. The money from land-based and river boat casinos goes to help these people. According to my research taxes from gambling is the fifth largest source of tax revenue.

This is a case of the spoils from the many going to help the few who need it. True, there are more gambling addicts out there needing help, but there are also so many more people who have an alcohol or drug addiction who are getting help as well. Where would the money come from to help them if it wasn't for the casinos?

Imagine how much money the US government could raise if it had an entry fee on internet casinos for US citizens? The money could be divvied according to the amount of people playing per state. The funds from which could go to help education, not only to promote responsible gambling and good money management but to help prevent other sorts of addiction as well.

Good money management is the most important thing when you are gambling. The best way to guarantee you will not become addicted is to set up realistic financial parameters before you start to play. Decide on your maximum win and your maximum loss amounts and make sure you are only playing with your entertainment money. If you find you've just bet next months rent money then the odds are you have a problem. Having a problem does not mean that you are addicted, but it does mean that you should take a serious look at your habits and probably take a break from the game. If you get to the point where you feel you may be addicted you can notify the casinos and ask them to put you on their banned list.

Most people are playing just to have fun. For them, it should be nice to know that some of their entertainment money is going to help others.